Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Selenium deficiency in yugoslavia

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Data on selenium (Se) deficiency in Yugoslavia are presented. The results include Se content of soil, cereal crops, and garlic grown in these soils, and human serum and scalp hair from several towns and regions. All data indicate a serious Se deficiency: soil (n=140), the mean value of 200±69.6 μg/kg Se; wheat, (58)\(\bar x\) = 20.5 ± 12.4 μg/kg; corn, (79)\(\bar x\) = 13.7 ± 13.6 μg/kg; and garlic, (66)\(\bar x\) = 13.7 ± 17.1 μg/kg Se. Analyses of human tissue show a very low Se status of the Yugoslav population: serum, (n=875)\(\bar x\) = 50.0 ± 18.0 μg/L and scalp hair, (388)\(\bar x\) = 94 ± 16 μg/kg Se. In some regions, Se contents of grain, garlic, and human serum and hair are approaching those in the low-Se belt in China. It is assumed that very low Se status of a human population could be a risk factor in the development of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) and in a high incidence of urinary tract tumors (UTT) in endemic areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G. Yang, J. Chen, Z. Wen, K. Ge, L. Zhu, and X. Chen,Advance in Nutritional Research, H.H. Draper, ed., Plenum, New York, 1984, pp. 203–231.

    Google Scholar 

  2. S. T. Liang, J. C. Zhang, X. Shang, S. Z. Mu, and F. J. Zhang, Proceed. 3rd Int. Symp. on Selenium in Biology and Medicine, G. F. Jr. Combs, J. E. Spallholz, O. A. Levander, and J. E. Oldfield, eds., Avi, Westport, CT, 1968, pp. 938–946.

  3. Selenium, Environmental Health Criteria 58, WHO, Geneva, 1987, pp. 198–237.

  4. Z. Maksimović,Etiology of Endemic (Balkan) Nephropathy, S. Strahinjić and V. Stefanović, eds., Niš, 1987, pp. 43–47.

  5. Z. Maksimović, I. Djujić, and V. Jović, Proceed. 7th Int. Symp. trace Elem. in Man and Animals, B. Momčilović, eds., Zagreb, 1991, pp. 22–5, 22–6.

  6. N. Imai, Sh. Terashima, and A. Ando,Geostandards Newsletters,8, 1, 39 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. IAEA,Scientific Committee Report on Food Sampling, IAEA-82-2, IAEA, Wiena, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  8. BCR, Reference materials, Community Bureau of Reference, Brussels.

  9. KLI, Kaulson Laboratories, Inc., West Caldwell, NJ 07006.

  10. Certified human hair standard reference material (GBW 09101), Shanghai Institute of Nuclear Research, Academica Sinica.

  11. V. Jović, Doctor's dissertation in (Serbian), Faculty of Mining and Geology, Belgrade, p. 380 (1990).

  12. I. Thornton, D. G. Kinniburgh, G. Pullen, and C. A. Smith,Trace Substances in Environmental Health XVII, D. D. Hemphill, ed., University of Missouri, 1983, pp. 391–398.

  13. H. F. Mayland, L. F. James, K. E. Panter, and J. L. Sonderegger,Selenium in agriculture and the environment: SSSA Special Publ. 23, SSSA L.W. Jacobs, ed., Madison, WI 1989, pp. 15–20.

  14. A. T. Diplock,Proceed. 1st Int. Symp. Geochemistry and Health, I. Thornton, ed., Science Reviews, Northwood, England, 1986, pp. 181–191.

    Google Scholar 

  15. G. D. Combs and S. B. Combs,The Role of Selenium in Nutrition, Academic, Orlando, FL, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  16. R. L. Mikkelsen, A. L. Page, and F. T. Bingham,Selenium in Agriculture and the Environment. SSSA Special publ. 23. SSSA, Madison, WI 1989, pp. 65–94.

    Google Scholar 

  17. E. Wiesner, F. Berschneider, K. Neuffer, and M. Menzel,Arch. Tierernährung 24, 601 (1974).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. J. Brügemann and H. D. Ocker,Getreide Mehl und Brot,44, 1, 3 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  19. B. Gavrilović and D. Matešić,Proceed. 3rd Int. Symp. on Selenium in Biology and Medicine, G. F. Jr. Combes, J. E. Spallholz, O. A. Levander, and J. E. Oldfield, eds., Avi, Westport, CT, 1986, pp. 740–749.

    Google Scholar 

  20. G. L. Xu and Y. F. Jiang,Proceed. 1st Int. Symp. Geochemistry and Health, I. Thornton, ed., Science Reviews, Northwood, England, 1986, pp. 192–204.

    Google Scholar 

  21. G. Yang, Sh. Wang, R. Zhou, and Sh. Sun,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 37, 872 (1983)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Y. C. Morris and O. A. Levander,J. Nutr. 100, 1383 (1970).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. J. Thorn, J. Robertson, and R. O'Connor,Brit. J. Nutr. 39, 391 (1978).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. S. Yu, Y. Chu, X. Gong, and C. Hou,Ecol. Trace Elem. Res. 7, 21, (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. A. R. Byrne and F. Klemenc,Vestn. Slov. Kem. Druš.,25(4), 361 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  26. M. Mikac-Dević, N. Vukelić, and N. Čerlek,9th Meeting European Assoc. Cancer Res., Helsinki, Abstracts, p. 53 (1987).

  27. E. B. Thorling, K. Overvad, and J. Geboers,Annals of Clin. Res. 18, 3 (1986).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. J. T. Salonen and P. Puska,Brit. Med. J. 290, 417 (1985).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Z. Maksimović, I. Djujić, and V. Jović,Man and environment,4,5, 24 (in Serbian with English summary) (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Z. Maksimović,Kidney Int. 40, Suppl. 34 (in press).

  31. S. Petković,Int. J. Urol. Stud. 35, 1 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  32. S. Petković, M. Mutavidžić, V. Petronić, and V. Marković,J. Urol. Néphrol. 77, 429 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  33. I. N. Chernozemsky, I. S. Stoyanov, T. K. Petkova-Bocharova, I. G. Nicolov, I. V. Draganov, I. I. Stoichev, Y. Tanchev, D. Naidenov, and N. D. Kalcheva,Int. J. Cancer 19, 1 (1977).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. R. Čukaranović, M. Ignjatović, and V. Stefanović,Kidney Int. (in preses).

  35. V. Stefanović and M. H. Polenaković,Am. J. Nephrol. 11, 1 (1991).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. A. T. Diplock,Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B294, 105 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. I. Djujić, O. Frim, O. Jozanov, and V. Šobić,15th Int. Congr. of Biochemistry, Jerusalem, Book of Abstracts, p. 267 (1991).

  38. I. Djujić, V. Nikolić, and Z. Popović, unpublished results.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geochemical Laboratory, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Djušina 7, 11000, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    Zoran J. Maksimović & Vidojko Jović

  2. Institute for Chemistry, Technology, and Metallurgy, Belgrade

    Ivana Djujić

  3. The Highway Institute, Belgrade

    Mihailo Ršumović

Authors
  1. Zoran J. Maksimović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ivana Djujić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vidojko Jović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mihailo Ršumović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

A portion of these results were presented at the International Symposium on Selenium, Belgrade, May 12–15, 1991, Abstracts p.1, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maksimović, Z.J., Djujić, I., Jović, V. et al. Selenium deficiency in yugoslavia. Biol Trace Elem Res 33, 187–196 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02784022

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02784022

Index Entries

Search

Navigation